June 9 (Reuters) - Starbucks is considering options for its Japanese business, including a stake sale that might be valued at 400 billion yen ($2.5 billion) to 500 billion yen, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
A stake sale could possibly attract interest from other industry players and private equity firms, the report said.
Starbucks did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The world's biggest coffee chain's nearly two-year long turnaround
under CEO Brian Niccol has focused on improving wait times and customer experience at its stores in the U.S.
Starbucks posted its strongest quarterly sales growth in two and a half years in April, even as profit margins lag due to higher in-store investments.
"Any move by the company to monetize in some way their business in Japan will probably be seen as positive," Rothschild & Co Redburn analyst Edward Lewis said, adding that it is not an integral part of the equity story at the company at the moment.
The Seattle-based company moved to take full control of Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd in 2014, buying out partner Sazaby League after nearly two decades of joint operations.
Japan, according to Starbucks' latest annual report, accounts for nearly 9% of its global store base, with 1,883 locations as of September 2025.
"Japan had an outstanding quarter," Niccol had said in April, adding that Starbucks' top 10 international markets, including China and Japan, posted positive sales for the first time in nine quarters.
The company closed its deal with Boyu Capital to sell control of its Chinese operations in April, valuing it at $4 billion, as it looks to jump-start growth in the region.
($1 = 160.3300 yen)
(Reporting by Anusha Shah and Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Shilpi Majumdar)
